Murder trial nears end for chef who told police he cooked wife

Closing arguments are scheduled to begin Monday for a chef who told authorities he accidentally killed his wife and then cooked her body to dispose of it.

The proceedings will get underway despite a late effort last week by David Viens to ditch his attorney, Fred McCurry.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Rand S. Rubin rejected Viens' request, which was made outside the jury's presence and before the defense's last witness testified. Rubin said Viens' attorney had represented him competently and that it was too late in the proceedings for Viens to take over his defense.

Viens, 49, told the judge he was "afraid" to represent himself and needed help figuring out how to prepare witnesses and build exhibits. But, Viens said, he felt like he had no choice because he and McCurry disagreed on trial tactics. Viens has pleaded not guilty.

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With the purpose of writing about true crime in an authoritative, fact-based manner, veteran journalists J. J. Maloney and J. Patrick O’Connor launched Crime Magazine in November of 1998.

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